Last weekend proved to be a promising start for Ohio (5-4). Entering the season as the favorite to come out of the Mid-American Conference, the Bobcats looked the part, dominating the Elon Softball Classic. After NC Central could only go five innings with Ohio, coach Jenna Hall’s team kept sizzling, putting together three straight games with double-digit hits and runs.
The performance, which saw Ohio outscore its opponents by 20 runs, led the team to be selected No. 12 on D1Softball’s Mid-Major Top 25 for Week One. However, the following weekend didn’t go the same for Ohio. Heading from North Carolina to Arizona, Ohio took part in five games of the Bear Down Fiesta, playing Cal State Fullerton (7-3) and South Alabama (5-5) twice and No. 15 Arizona (10-1) once.
Coming into the week, Ohio was led by sophomore Brenna Farmer, who secured MAC Player of the Week with 10 hits and 13 RBIs in the Elon Softball Classic. Following close behind was senior Emma Hoffner, who put together seven hits and 12 RBIs.
Ohio was unable to get the same production out of the pairing the following weekend. Through five games, Farmer and Hoffner combined for just four hits and three RBIs.
The weekend opened against Cal State Fullerton in the first of two Friday matchups for Ohio. The game was low-scoring, finishing 2-1 in favor of the Titans, who were led by redshirt sophomore pitcher Trisha McCleskey. McCleskey pitched all seven innings, allowing just four hits.
In the following game, Ohio played its first of back-to-back games against South Alabama, which resulted in a 7-2 loss. The Bobcats managed to outhit their opponent eight to six but were outpitched overall. South Alabama sophomore Ryley Harrison pitched six strikeouts in seven innings while walking just three batters and allowing 1 run.
Ohio’s duo of redshirt junior Skipp Miller and sophomore Mikie Lieving didn’t see the same success on the mound. Miller, who has been one of the MAC’s best pitchers in her last two years, pitched two and two-thirds innings and allowed 4 earned runs, hitting as many batters as she struck out. Lieving, in four and one-third innings, allowed four hits and four walks.
Ohio got its revenge the next day, beating South Alabama 3-2 for its only win of the weekend. It was a close game throughout, with South Alabama entering the sixth with a 2-1 lead. However, after sophomore Izzie Wilson advanced Hoffner to second on a ground out, junior Shelby Westler lined up a home run to score her and Hoffner, giving Ohio a 3-2 lead.
At the mound, Lieving allowed just one hit and three walks in a scoreless three innings. Freshman Anna Wise also contributed four innings for the Bobcats, striking out four batters.
The second-to-last matchup for Ohio was against No. 15 Arizona, who improved to eight consecutive wins after beating Ohio 12-8. The Bobcats led 7-3 entering the bottom of the fourth against the Wildcats.
A 5-run explosion in the second spearheaded the lead, as senior Lauren Yuhas reached second on a fielding error, scoring senior CiCi Keidel and freshman Abby Kennelly. One scoreless at-bat later, the runs continued as Hoffner and Farmer both notched RBIs.
However, the lead wouldn’t last much longer as Arizona put together an 8 run fourth inning, including a pair of two RBI home runs from junior Kaiah Altmeyer and sophomore Emily Schepp.
Ohio would finish the Bear Down Fiesta against Cal State Fullerton in the most lopsided game of the weekend, losing 17-1 in five innings. An incredible performance saw Fullerton freshman Nataly Lazano score 3 runs, three hits and four RBI in four at-bats as Ohio’s pitchers struggled. The four pitchers Hall tried on the mound conceded 14 hits and 11 earned runs.
Ohio looks to bounce back in the Lowcountry Classic in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, against Dartmouth (0-5), Rhode Island (0-0) and Charleston (2-6). The Bobcats will look to take advantage as the only participant above .500 entering the weekend.
